Monuments and foreign aid aren't good uses for federal funds today

Harriet Tubman certainly deserves recognition, but why are we funding with federal dollars a $21 million monument and visitor center in her honor at a time when we are closing national parks, shutting down FAA control towers and dealing with sequester issues ("A monument to Md. abolitionist," March 26)?

Our elected officials seem to have lost contact with reality in pursuing their political ambitions. Gov. Martin O'Malley went off campaigning in South Carolina claiming he cut state spending "big time," all the while supporting the Tubman monument.

Why couldn't this have been done earlier, or postponed to a more propitious time? Meanwhile, the Obama administration has promised to deliver $500 million in annual aid to Palestine. Again, why now? Where is the sense in that? Doesn't charity begin at home?